Trustees

Jonathan began his teaching career in North London in 1991, having graduated from the University of Surrey where he studied History and English, followed by teacher training in Sussex. In 1998 he moved to a secondary school in Stevenage where he became Head of History and then, simultaneously with this post, Head of Year and PSHE / Citizenship Co-ordinator. From here, Jonathan took up the post of Assistant Headteacher, then Deputy Headteacher at Sawston Village College in Cambridgeshire before becoming Principal of the school in 2010. In 2018, Jonathan became the Chief Executive Officer of Anglian Learning.

Jonathan is Chair of the Cambs CEO Forum (CCF); is a member of the Norfolk and Suffolk CEO network and is also a strategic board member of the local SCITT and Teaching School Hub. He supports the DfE in the delivery of the Trust and School Improvement Offer and has until recently been Chair of Cambridgeshire Schools Forum. In 2024, Jonathan graduated with an MBA in Educational Leadership (International) from UCL, specialising in the challenges and opportunities facing academy trusts as they grow and develop and the leadership qualities required to lead these complex organisations.

Jonathan is passionate about the mission of Anglian Learning which is to ensure the best possible educational outcomes and experiences for all pupils, for their families and their communities through self-sustaining, innovative and outward facing schools, while working to improve the wider educational system

After 10 years in the IT industry as a software engineer, I spent most of my career with BP working across the oil, gas, chemicals and alternative energy divisions. I was involved in initiating, negotiating, establishing and leading new businesses, optimising and improving existing businesses and I lived and worked in China for over 10 years. I was a director and Chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and a director and Vice Chair of the China Britain Business Council supporting British companies doing business in China. I was a school governor of Dulwich College Beijing which my children attended and am currently an Associate at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge supporting its Bridge initiative to strengthen the links between academia and industry. I am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to Anglian Learning and support its mission to offer an outstanding education to all its students.

I worked for three decades for Cambridge Education / Mott MacDonald, one one of the largest employee-owned companies in the UK. I started as an education planning adviser, spent ten years as a Team Leader on two major education projects in rural China and then, for the last 13 years, was Managing Director of Cambridge Education. In that role I was responsible for a staff of 270 working across 18 countries in Asia and Africa implementing multi-million-pound projects in partnership with national governments and donor organisations like FCDO and the World Bank.
I have work and management experience in more than 23 countries ranging from Nigeria to Pakistan to South Sudan and care deeply about creating education opportunity for all children. Strong leadership, clear vision and high-quality teaching delivers that opportunity. So, I am excited to join Anglian Learning as a Trustee and hope my varied experience can contribute to supporting all schools in the Trust to deliver the best education for their children.

I am a qualified teacher and have extensive senior leadership experience in secondary education, including as a headteacher and currently as an Education Director for a large national multi-academy trust. I have a wide range of expertise in school leadership which includes raising achievement, quality assurance, safeguarding and developing highly effective leadership teams. I hold both the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership (NPQEL). I am an Ofsted inspector and currently inspect across the eastern region.

I am the CEO of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), a professional body and scientific publisher with over 500 staff based in Cambridge. During my career, I have led many of the RSC’s strategic functions including Education and Professional Practice, Science and Communities, Membership and RSC China.
I have also served as Chair of the Science Council (2018 – 2021), a UK charity for the advancement of the Science profession, and currently chair the UK Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy Advisory Board. Having completed a degree and PhD in Chemistry, I am a Chartered Chemist and a Chartered Scientist.
Prior to becoming a Trustee of Anglian Learning, I was elected as a Parent Governor at Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport (JFAN) in 2012 and became Chair of the then single academy trust in 2016. I stepped down from this role when JFAN joined Anglian Learning on 1 January 2020.
I am passionate about science and ensuring every child has an opportunity to reach their potential.

I spent most of my working life in the city of London, initially working for a large fund management group and then 25 years ago I set up a wealth management business with another partner. Having developed the business it merged with another firm in 2003, and then the merged business was sold to a large city bank in 2007. At the time of sale the business employed 150 people and managed over £4.5 billion in assets. Having been with the business from the start to the size when sold in 2007, I have been involved in most areas of business management, including HR, financial controls and compliance. I decided to retire after the sale, and now manage my own property company. I also occasionally help out with a local Riding for the Disabled group. We are lucky enough to be able to travel a fair amount and I also play a what my wife would probably say is to much golf! We also have two grown up children who are both scientists.

As one of the founding Trustees of Anglian Learning I have seen the Trust grow from 4 schools to 16 today with more growth in the pipeline, and I am proud that Core Purpose and DNA of the trust is as true now as it was in 2016.